Marhaba....

Ya Marhaba, and welcome.

Like a huge number of the world’s population - I am part timing on both sides, sliding in and out of each culture with the blinking of an eye. I take the best bits form both and use them at my leisure, raising my eyebrows at the bits that don’t make sense, or seem rubbish in my map of the world. (This includes any kind of fanaticism, engaging in conversations about crap Arab celebrities with bad nose jobs or arguing with family on the subject of what age a girl should, or should not get hitched). I welcome people in my life like an Arab, and yet my timeliness ( much to the confusion of my Arab friends) has a crispy no nonsense British feel about it. I love cousa mihshe as much as shepards pies and when I go to someone’s house for the first time, I always take a gift and ask if I should take off my shoes. When I am offered a lift home with my Arab friends they always tell me I am soooo English as I thank them & triple check that they don’t mind. “Wallowwww , Inte kiteer Englizzeyeyeha man, Kiss me again!” they cry with fervent voices on my many trips to Middle earth. With such a wealth of social norms, beliefs, values and mismatched identities to pick and choose from its no wonder that sometimes, when the world goes round really fast, and I watch the news, or I take a 7 hour flight and put my feet in a land that feels different and speaks in my mother tongue, I sometimes get a bit confused.com.